NEVER SAY NEVER

What girl wouldn't want to be surrounded by the sexy guys from the hottest teen rock sensation in the country? 18-year-old Never "Neve" Knight, not only is surrounded by the hottest boys to hit the music charts, but she is the band's lead singer. As the band's lead singer and manager, Never formed and shaped the band to where it is today, a band on the rise and on the brink of being signed by a label. As one of the guys, she knew each of the band members since they were all snot-nose ten-year-olds. While her boys were the cutest guys and they would protect her like knights, she couldn't date any one of them and ruin the chance at being signed with the record label of her dreams.

That changes when one of the band members suddenly drops out of the band, and in walks Danny Blue, with his dreamy blue eyes, hot body, and British accent. Suddenly, Never's solid world has turned to mush, and her rule for not dating one of her band members is seriously challenged. Can she keep her head straight and get her band signed with a label without losing her heart?

Kailin Gow rocks the world with her latest contemporary novel, Never Say Never! Intense is the only way to describe how she so easily captures the audience's attention with Neve's passion for music and life with famous parents. This determined college freshman will not only incite inspiration in all musical and artsy readers, but she will give all Gow fans what they know and love: an entertaining and strong female lead.

Never Knight is reluctant to love someone more than her love for music, so it's a big deal when the issue of dating versus casual sex pops up among the band she manages and plays for, the Never Knights. All throughout the jealousies and almost major setbacks, Never somehow manages to stay true to herself without breaking most of her own rules. There's a lingering feeling that the little red bow this novel's romance has been wrapped in will unravel as Never navigates her rising fame and fends off crazed fans. It's exciting to see Kailin venture into this world and there is no telling what to expect other than sheer brilliance!

Never Say Never has all of Kailin's usual flare and more. Love interests galore, a witty protagonist, and unexpected outcomes. The Never Knights series has a strong beginning and will only get even better from here! The deep emotional scars underlying the actions and words of the very real characters forebodes that the band's dynamic will change and that Neve's life in the spotlight is set for a rocky course.

The fast approaching sequel, Never Land will make quite the appearance on reader wishlists after a taste of Never Say Never's rocking plot!

A very unique fact about your
books is that most were inspired by personal experiences, are there any that
can be attributed to Never Say Never’s
plot?

Yes! Back in college, as an undergraduate, I
executive produced and hosted a few radio shows that were a combination of talk
radio and music. From there, I got to
know a few bands and celebrities. One of
my co-hosts was a tour promoter for a few of the indie bands and got involved with
some band members as well. I’ve always
been involved in music in some way or another. I played the violin in high school orchestra, and have always played the
piano. In college, I took up drums and
played keyboard, and played a little bit of guitar. It wasn’t a surprise that I started a band in
college, as well, which was short-lived but fun at the same time.

I really enjoyed
writing from a college-age heroine’s perspective in Never Say Never, too, since
it gives me a chance to explore more issues of growing up than I can for a
younger audience. Things that are
complicated (especially with relationships) can be explored, career choices,
friendships and the boundaries between friendships and “friends with benefits”,
and identity can be explored. When I was
an undergrad, I worked at as a paid peer adviser, and part of what I did at the
Women’s Center was to put on programs for the college community and community
at large that dealt with all and any women’s issues. There were many, and I think because college
is such a huge milestone and stage in a woman’s life…the stage when they are no
longer a child, but a “new” adult, there is a lot of confusion and questions
that come up during this time period. I
love exploring all this in Never Say Never as well as any YA-Mature/New Adult
books I have.

Your newest female lead has one of
the most unique names around; it literally just rolls right off the tongue! How
did you decide on ‘Never Knight’?

I love
playing with the name “Never” because it’s poetic and the kind of name a rock
star would name his child. Never is the
child of a rock star and a swimsuit model, so her name has to be unique like
that, but still be playful.

Your female protagonists are
usually the most level minded, headstrong, and endearing characters in young
adult fiction. How would you characterize Never?

A natural born
leader (she’s the only child of a rock legend so she has this amazing
confidence), and very loving, big hearted, generous, and she constantly wants
to do what’s right. She’s independent,
bold, and charismatic. In Never Say
Never, she’s a young woman who is also coming into her own – identity and
becoming a woman.

Can you tell us a little about the
guys in the band with Never?

All the
guys in the band are childhood friends of Neve’s. Except Danny Blue, who she meets in
college. There’s Steve, who used to be a
scrawny kid who was bullied as a kid, but got mad enough to bulk up and become
a tough guy no one wants to mess with. He’s very loyal to Neve and is roommates/best friends with Lucas (Luc),
who is dark-haired and dark-eyed, the son of a police officer and teacher. Luc comes from a warm big family that is
opposite of Neve’s upbringing. Luc and
Neve met at music camp as kids. Kyle is
the golden boy who practically grew up in the same house as Neve. He’s the nephew of Neve’s father’s
housekeeper, and basically grew up hanging around Neve. Then there’s Geoff, who met Neve at music camp
a while back, but isn’t as close to Neve as the others. He’s more Steve’s friend.

Of course,
there’s Danny Blue, who is British, hot, talented, and very seductive. He’s a little bit older than Neve and the
other guys, and worldly, sophisticated, and has more to him than meets the eye.

Never Say Never will be your third foray into the contemporary
genre, following Saving You, Saving Me
and Loving Summer. Can you tell us
what to expect from the novel and whether there are any sequels in the works?

You can
expect a lot more mature themes, because this is the rock world and college
life. Having worked at a women’s center,
I know firsthand about some of the issues college women experience - identity,
self-awareness, body image consciousness, asserting independence, sexual
experiences, and more.

What has influenced your decision to
write these contemporary novels geared toward the more mature edge of the young
adult audience?

All the memories of
college life that came pouring out of me during a visit to the university of my
undergraduate years. I was very involved
in college, worked as a peer adviser at a Women’s Center, counseled young women
and peers on many issues including sexual relations, held workshops and
seminars on all kinds of topics that related to young women and women in
general, had a radio show on those topics. That was when I was 19,20, and 21. Now I’m older, married, have a child, and a whole lot more experience
with those topics so it gives me a broader and deeper perspective than before.

I will
tailor the intensity of maturity based on the story, the characters, and the
themes. It’s to preserve the integrity
of the story being told. In Never Say
Never, I intentionally chose to include more mature scenes because Never is in
college and there is a certain level of maturity you come across during college
or when you hit 18 and up. Suddenly
you’re an adult, and with that, comes more adult experiences.

Thank you so much for stopping by
Lovey Dovey Books Kailin! Any parting words for your loyal fans and the much
welcomed newbies?

My
pleasure! Thank you for having me :D

About Kailin . . .

Kailin Gow is the author of over 100 books, with the
majority of them for young adults. Her most popular series are: The Frost Series, PULSE Series, Desire
Series, Wicked Woods, Steampunk Scarlett Novels, and more. A full-time author, she is also a producer,
having worked in radio, television, and film. She grew up in Southern California, lived in Texas and England, and had
traveled extensively around the world.